Insulin sensitivity

[Doghouse]

Hi All, I have a question. I have been T1 since spring 2009. Apart from when just diagnose, A1C has been 6.2 +-0.2. Once sorted, I was injecting: NovaRapid at 1 unit per 20g carbs, and Lantus at 8U per night.
Then it went to 1:25 and 6U Lantus. Recently it became 1:30 and 5U, and now I am injecting 3U of NovaRapid for a 100g carb meal, and 3U for a 110g meal at night. Lantus is down to 5U. Last night at 23:00 I had a blood sugar of 6.8, but this morning it was 4.7. Where will it end!
My age is 60, and I could be classed as quite active, walking dogs for 3 to 5 mile a day, and 20 ? 40mile per week on a bike.
Have other forum T1 members similar experiences. I think it is normal for insulin sensitivity to increase as people age, but is what I experience typical?
Mike

 

[Northerner]

Hi Mike, I can certainly relate to your experiences! I was diagnosed aged 49 and started on around 40 unitsof novorapid and 20 units of lantus. Now, nearly 4 years on, I have gradually reduced to around 20-25 units of novorapid - and two nights ago cut my lantus to ZERO units! 😱 The reduction in lantus started about ten months after diagnosis when it went down to around 9 or 10 units. Since then I have gradually had to reduce it to end up where I am now. My consultant says it is almost certain that I am producing some of my own insulin still. It would appear that, at diagnosis and the months after, my beta cell function was relatively poor, but that it has gradually recovered to some degree. This sounds like what is happening to you.

They can do a test, called the C-peptide test, which will show how much endogenous insulin you are producing (i.e. your pancreas), but as it is an expensive test and I have always managed my diabetes well it is not considered worth doing for me - your consultant might be willing to do it though so certainly worth asking 🙂

p.s. I don't think this is typical, but perhaps less rare than you might imagine.

 

[Doghouse]

Thanks Northerner, I was wondering if I had partial beta cell operation. I take Methotrexate for arthritis, this backs off the immune system a bit, so I was wondering if it had given the beta cells a bit of a rest from the T-cells.
Any Idea what a C-peptide test costs? I suggested this to a hospital DSN, who promptly said that there was little point since they were sure I was T1.
Mike.

 

[trophywench]

ISTR a figure of c ?500 being bandied about.

I know if anyone has it , it usually takes weeks to get the answer so maybe it's labour intensive, I dunno.